MG4 internet, data limits

[DixieTGS]

I was told by an MG tech that the car had 2 sims (or esims). Nobody else has corroborated this so I was thinking it may have just been him getting confused between all the different makes and models he serviced.

It would make sense to have one for the important low bandwidth stuff such as eSOS and iSmart etc which is present on all model variants and never runs out of data, and a 2nd optional sim for the infotainment features which have high data usage and may get cut off in the future.

Can your sniffer tell if there are one or two sims?

 

[MBarber87]

For everybody having data issues like me, is it the case that the blue data circle button is stuck gray and will not turn blue no matter how much you press it?

Also, you can go deeper into setting and turn data switch on. But it makes no difference.

I'm confused by wifi in this car, what is the point? So I can connect to my home wife from my drive, why would I want to do that?

Thanks for any replies

 

[dave99]

Hi all,

I have connected my MG4 to my WiFi and, using a sniffer, I was able to check why, even if the car is out of data, I was still able to connect via the Internet. In theory, this should not work on the car itself. I found out that the car always checks into a local server—in my case, in Australia. When you use the MG iSmart app, you connect to the same server, which then connects back to your car. I think MG has some kind of VPN that allows them to connect to their server with or without data on the SIM card. It’s the same concept with all IoT devices, where you connect to them via the Internet, not via Bluetooth or your internal network. I hope that makes sense to everyone.

yes I believe they use a VPN as some UK only services won't work (without using a further VPN to put us back in the UK ), my car reports as being geolocated in Sweden. I don't think they can connect to their servers if the data limit is passed though, unless as suspected there is another eSim in the car.

 

[siteguru]

They must have something standard to enable connection to their servers ... the SE models don't have any data features (satnav etc.) but still work with iSmart.

 

[phil99]

So I did some experimentation this evening. I set a roughly 1GB audiobook to download over the hotspot when I left home having not used the hotspot at all since the first of the month.

About 500MB in, the download stopped and the data traffic circle turned grey.

So a 1Gb limit seems like it is. That’s quite annoying, and now I need to work out who to complain to, and how.

 

[Ian Key]

I was told by an MG tech that the car had 2 sims (or esims). Nobody else has corroborated this so I was thinking it may have just been him getting confused between all the different makes and models he serviced.

It would make sense to have one for the important low bandwidth stuff such as eSOS and iSmart etc which is present on all model variants and never runs out of data, and a 2nd optional sim for the infotainment features which have high data usage and may get cut off in the future.

Can your sniffer tell if there are one or two sims?

You could be right about the two sims. The hotspot on mine although it will connect to my phone it doesn't connect to the internet but data for mapping, weather etc. still works.

 

[phil99]

I have almost 100% certainty that there are not two eSIM modules.

Why? They’re expensive - well let’s just say that all hardware has a cost - and two modules means two sets of connectivity to pay for (each connection incurs a monthly cost!) and two sets of hardware to maintain.

I work for a company that provides IoT device connectivity and I can say for sure that it’s bread and butter to allow outbound traffic to specific servers and not others, or to allow inbound traffic and not outbound.

It’s a case of “don’t over complicate things”.

 

[haloweenhamster]

Also providers can give a mixed capped & unlimited usage
Used to have companies sell contracts with capped usage but social media was unlimited even after the cap had stopped all other access
MG could have come up with a deal with the provider to have a 1GB cap but allow unlimited access to their domain

 

[phil99]

I have just fired off an email to MGUK Customer Services asking for clarification and a pointer to documentation on what the provided service is, and thought I'd do a bit of googling.

Found this. Made me laugh.

MG4 rocking 7Kw V2L Real full home use possible.

www.speakev.com

You don’t need to pay for internet contract for your home anymore I cancelled mine and just use the free car internet as my WiFi for my home

 

[phil99]

I got this response from MG Customer Service to my email asking for any documentation that describes what the hotspot allowance is:

Thank you for getting in contact,

From my understanding the data limit for the MG4 is 1gb.

Not quite what I asked for, but I guess that's about as "official" as it gets?

 

[Tonych]

This is what a query to MG UK got as a response: "
I would recommend first checking to try and drive your vehicle in a city/strong signal area. This should reset the signal to connect.



However, if this does not work then it may be due to your vehicle running out of data for the month as the vehicle has 1gb of data available.



Depending on how you are using the data can determine the duration it will last for."

 

[charstarr88]

I emailed them for the same problem and this is the reply I got hope this helps will update at the start of the month 1gb isn’t much but hopefully it works I’ve tried everything



Dear customer,

Thanks for your reply.

There might be two factors affecting the connection. One is the sim data limit, the other is the tBOX issue.

For the sim data limit, there is only 1 GB per month. It would be easy to use it up if you often use the in-car hotspot or listen to music. This always happens at the end of the month. It will be restored on the first day of next month.
The network can affect the remote control function.

If the issue still exists next month, there might be some issue with the tBOX. Please go to a local MG dealer to do a diagnosis.
Please bring the below information to the dealer:
Conduct the vehicle diagnosis, and check TBOX in a high priority,
Create a SNW ticket
If the TBOX is with error, then do a replacement of TBOX with SIPS, but DO NOT replace the hardware.

We suggest that you can wait and see if this issue can be resolved on 1st of next month. If not, please try to fix the tBOX.
Thank you!

Best regards,
ismart-service team

 

[mbpits]

I have had a similar issue with data not working, but I have found that by switching the option for entertainment data to off and then back on, in the settings, it starts working again.

 

[charstarr88]

I have had a similar issue with data not working, but I have found that by switching the option for entertainment data to off and then back on, in the settings, it starts working again.

I’ve tried everything I just must have no data I literally have spent the week reading things watching videos and nothing

Although I cannot connect my hotspot from my phone to my car now I come to think about it hmmm

 

[Tyranuus]

I am also experiencing this issue.
I cannot connect to Ismart, use the hotspot, or even get the data connection button to stay on. This has never happened before now.

Frankly, just one MORE issue to add to the list!

 

[phil99]

I am also experiencing this issue.
I cannot connect to Ismart, use the hotspot, or even get the data connection button to stay on. This has never happened before now.

Frankly, just one MORE issue to add to the list!

This issue described throughout this thread has nothing to do with ismart. This should continue to work even if the hotspot doesn't.

 

[Tonych]

I emailed them for the same problem and this is the reply I got hope this helps will update at the start of the month 1gb isn’t much but hopefully it works I’ve tried everything



Dear customer,

Thanks for your reply.

There might be two factors affecting the connection. One is the sim data limit, the other is the tBOX issue.

For the sim data limit, there is only 1 GB per month. It would be easy to use it up if you often use the in-car hotspot or listen to music. This always happens at the end of the month. It will be restored on the first day of next month.
The network can affect the remote control function.

If the issue still exists next month, there might be some issue with the tBOX. Please go to a local MG dealer to do a diagnosis.
Please bring the below information to the dealer:
Conduct the vehicle diagnosis, and check TBOX in a high priority,
Create a SNW ticket
If the TBOX is with error, then do a replacement of TBOX with SIPS, but DO NOT replace the hardware.

We suggest that you can wait and see if this issue can be resolved on 1st of next month. If not, please try to fix the tBOX.
Thank you!

Best regards,
ismart-service team

MG have written in response to my question - when does the monthly 1GB reset - to say beginning of the month. Lets see!

 

[Guru]

When we first got ours there was no limit on the data, on 1 trip to York both of my girls was on their tablets streaming netflix using the car's WiFi there and back with no issues. I haven't yet had a problem however if it is now capped that would be a pain but completely understandable.

I do wish it was like my Volvo V90 was though. It had a built in SIM just for the app and built in satnav etc, but then in the boot there was a SIM slot that you could put your own SIM in for hotspotting. That was perfect as I could choose the network and data to suit our needs.

 

[Tonych]

I have had a similar issue with data not working, but I have found that by switching the option for entertainment data to off and then back on, in the settings, it starts working again.

How?

 

[dave99]

My data seems to have stopped again this weekend - weather app won't update either. I've not used any internal satnav, music streaming, or hotspot (other than to see if it connects) this month so can't see where the data has been used up.